What is "mountain cranberry"

Cowberry \Cow"ber`ry\ (-b[e^]r`r[y^]), n.; pl. Cowberries (-r[i^]z). (Bot.) A species of Vaccinium ( Vaccinium Vitis-id[ae]a), which bears acid red berries which are sometimes used in cookery; -- locally called mountain cranberry.

1. n. low evergreen shrub of high north temperate regions of Europe and Asia and America bearing red edible berries [syn: cowberry, lingonberry, lingenberry, lingberry, foxberry, Vaccinium vitis-idaea]

2. tart red berries similar to American cranberries but smaller [syn: lingonberry, cowberry, lowbush cranberry]

Mountain cranberry is a common name for several plants and may refer to:

• Another name for bearberries, three species of dwarf shrubs in the genus Arctostaphylos
• Vaccinium vitis-idaea, a small evergreen shrub widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere
• Vaccinium erythrocarpum, a deciduous shrub native to the southeastern United States